All members of parliaments should raise their voice against tobacco, Shahiduzzaman Sarker, chairman of parliamentary standing committee on Law Ministry, has said.
“We want to make parliament as the center of anti-tobacco movement. The budget session will begin soon, all of us (MPs) should talk against tobacco at least one minute in the parliament, said Shahiduzzaman while addressing at the second day of “Members of Parliament (MPs) Conference for Achieving Tobacco-Free Bangladesh by 2040” in Cox’s Bazar district on Thursday.
He said, “We need to make a commitment based on the discussion which is going here regarding tobacco movement. Forty MPs are discussing here and all of them put emphasize on the negative impact of tobacco. We have to make efforts from respective positions in specific issues. Only then we would be able to implement tobacco free Bangladesh by 2040 as announced by the Prime Minister.”
Former Health Minister Prof. AFM Ruhal Haque and ASM Firoz, chairman of parliamentary standing committee on government institutions, presided over two sessions on the second day of the conference.
Among others, Rowshan Ara Mannan, Sherin Akhter, Shirin Akhter, Hosne Ara Begum MPs, spoke in the conference.
Professor Dr. Ruhul Haque said, “We have to find out how the Tobacco Control Law would be implemented once it is amended. During my tenure as Health Minister, I visited at grassroot level and worked against tobacco use.”
“We are all with anti-tobacco movement. I hope that our joint efforts will strengthen this pursuit to ensure the protection of public health in the country. Let our slogan be from today that we want to be tobacco free.”
Earlier in the two sessions, Barrister Shamim Haider Patwari MP gave a presentation highlighting various inconsistencies in the existing Tobacco Control Law.
Professor Dr. Md. Abdul Aziz MP asked to ban e-cigarettes while Aroma Dutta for abolishing the designated place for smoking, Dr. Shamil Uddin Shimul and Ahsanul Haque Titu gave a presentation on banning of advertisement and display of tobacco products and stopping CSR of tobacco companies.
About E-cigarettes, Prof. Dr. Abdul Aziz said, “E-cigarettes are being promoted on various social media, including Facebook, in favor of tobacco. If you make order online then they will bring it at your house. It is true that e-cigarettes are as harmful as tobacco cigarette and cause harm equally.”
“I think now is the time to regulate e-cigarettes and bring them under the law. Because, if this is not stopped effectively now, then it would be difficult to get the next generation who are out of tobacco use.”
Aroma Dutta MP, quoting research data from Global Tobacco Atlas, said, “Due to secondhand smoke in healthcare centers 12.7% of our people are getting sick. Out of this, 42.7% were exposed to secondhand smoke in the workplace, 49.7% in restaurants, 8.2% in schools, 39% at home and 44% on public transport. It is very frustrating. One of the ways we can get rid of this is by incorporating them into existing Tobacco Control Law.”
DGHS DG Prof. Dr. Abul Basar Mohammad Khurshid Alam attended in the conference virtually and said it is a great pleasure that members of parliament are taking part in the initiative to control tobacco.
“We are conducting various activities to eradicate tobacco. We are trying and need advices from MPs in this regard. It is true that we have not yet adequately controlled the use of tobacco. There are also some inconsistencies in the law. Tobacco control law should be amended to eliminate the obstacles.”
It is to be noted that this conference is organized with the aim of amendment of the existing Tobacco Control Law and making Bangladesh tobacco-free by 2040.
Bangladesh Parliamentary Forum for Health and Wellbeing arranged the conference in association with Shastho Shurokkha Foundation and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Bangladesh.
MR/GY
